A TEEN driver killed a 16-year-old girl while trying to set a new personal record for driving on the wrong side of the road while on travelling home from a rave.

Reckless Michael Bowker, 18, reached speeds of 80mph overtaking other motorists in his Renault Clio before he crashed into a barrier, killing schoolgirl Chloe Cockton, who died in her injured sister’s arms.

Tragic 16-year-old Chloe Cockton was killed in the crash in Rochdale in July last year

Bowker was today jailed for six and a half years at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester after he admitted causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.

As the killer – who had only passed his test a month before the horror crash in Rochdale in July last year – was led away Chloe’s grieving father vaulted out of the public gallery and ran at the dock, while relatives begged him to stop.

Earlier there were gasps from the victim’s family as CCTV of the Clio approaching a road junction was played to the court, showing Bowker speeding and on the wrong side of the road.

The engineering worker, from Rochdale, ignored the cries of his four passengers, including Chloe, her 17-year-old sister Sophie, Bowker’s girlfriend, 17, and a 16-year-old boy, begging him to slow down.

The sisters had been at a rave at a reservoir in Rochdale with friend Shauna Taylor, 17, when they decided to get a lift back with Bowker.

But as he raced back home he clipped a kerb and flipped the car, causing it to smash through a pedestrian barrier.

Chloe suffered multiple fatal injuries in the smash and died in her sister’s arms

Prosecutor Michael Morley told the court: “Close to 2am a discussion was had about going home, about walking back down the dirt track to get a taxi from the main road. One of the group knew a friend of Michael Bowker – he didn’t know the girls beforehand.

“Sophie was wary and wanted to make sure he hadn’t been drinking or taking drugs – which he had not – and checked he had passed his driving test.
They then got a lift but when Sophie asked about the seat belts not working, the defendant laughed at that and said: ‘you’ll be fine’.

“On the dirt roads the defendant was travelling at 30mph when the appropriate speed would be 10mph but once they reached normal roads the he went even faster, overtaking vehicles and passing over mini roundabouts and junctions with just a quick check that he could go.

“Sophie felt he was travelling about 50-60mph she was scared – and at one point he seemed to be travelling at over 80mph. She said it was like he had ‘zoned out and it was like he wanted to kill us’.

“Chloe told him to slow down but Sophie said he would overtake and then see how long he could stay out like he was going for a record.

“The defendant then clipped the kerb as he was over taking.

“A passing taxi driver said the car was out of control. Both Sophie and Shauna in their statements say they were screaming at him to slow down and it wasn’t funny anymore.”

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When Bowker was arrested after the crash he admitted he had been showing off to his passengers.

He said: ”I’m just feeling s***. What have I done?” adding: ”I can’t feel any other way – I ruined her life and my life. But her life is more important.”

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Sophie said: “That night I held my sister in my arms. I watched her bleed to death as she screamed for my help. It is indescribable how much that hurts.

“When your little sister, who you have protected all of your life, begs for your help and all you can do is hold her until she dies it tears my heart apart, breaks me in to a million pieces and haunts my memory every second of every day. I lie in bed and pray to a God that may not exist that I can see my sister again, even for just a second.

“When watching or hearing cars drive past terrifies you and you relive that vicious heart-wrenching memory of the night your life was over.

“My sister, my soulmate, my life, my purpose has been snatched away. I hear her screaming every time I have a flashback of her terrified voice pleading him to slow down. It drowns my heart in pain and hurt.

“My sister was my motivation to get up, my sole purpose to protect her, wanting to see her follow in my footsteps but that has now been destroyed.”

In a letter Bowker said: “I think of holding Chloe in my arms, I think of that poor girl every morning every night and every minute in between.

Bowker, in a letter, told the court he thinks of ‘that poor girl every morning’ and ‘cannot express his guilt’

“I feel so guilty. I cannot express how guilty I feel.

“I look at myself in the mirror and I see the scar on my face and it reminds me of Chloe. I wish it was me who lost their life that night.”

As the letter was read Chloe’s father shouted: “I wish it was you.”

In mitigation defence counsel Miss Rachel Shenton said: “Nobody is more aware of the damage that has been cause than Michael Bowker.

“I cannot express how much he has genuine regret and remorse. He is still only 19. He was doing what a lot of young men do when they are driving and showing off for the young ladies in the car.

“He is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and has flashbacks of what happened on that night.

“He was in hospital filled with tubes when he was told the devastating news that Chloe had passed away.

“He pulled out the tubes and said that there was no point in carrying on.”

Passing sentence Judge Paul Lawton told Bowker: “These young women were thinking of getting a taxi when you offered them a lift and none of them could have predicted the danger that lay ahead from your driving.

“You thought you were impressing three young women in the rear of your car but in fact you were gambling with their lives.

“Chloe Cockton was a bright vivacious and talented girl. You have said that you destroyed your own life and that of the family but the death of their daughter sister and friend will hold over them forever.

“This was a prolonged persistent act of dangerous driving with excessive speed. I hope this will send out a warning to young men who choose to drive in the way you did on that night.”

Bowker was sentenced to six and a half years in jail and banned from driving for four years and nine months, which will begin after his release.

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